The Invisible Guardians: Jack to the Rescue
by sakuradancer3
Summary: When Pitch splits Manny's crystal into several pieces and distributes them to nonbelievers, the Guardians are shocked to learn that Jack Frost has some tricks up his icy sleeves. Now, the fate of the Guardians is in Jack's hands…and they quickly discover just how capable those hands are. Slight allusions to pairings.
1. Chapter 1: Pitch's Plan

A/N: I am such a bad person! Not only am I late in updating Impressions, but I actually got myself distracted by the Rise of the Guardians! For those who follow my Megamind story, don't freak out. That is definitely not on hiatus…it's just that Jack Frost has been calling my name ever since I saw the movie a few days ago. So, here's the result of my newfound fandom! As always, please review!

Here is the first chapter. I watched ROTG for the first time this week, and fell in LOVE! OMG, Jack Frost is so amazing. Umf. That's all I can say. Oh, and this as well:

Disclaimer: I don't own ROTG, but I will own the movie on the 12th of March if I have anything to say about it!

* * *

Prologue:

Heart pounding, he risked a peek around the tree he was hiding behind. He held his breath, knowing that the white cloud of air would betray his position. He had taken refuge here, diving frantically behind the rough bark of the leafless tree in a desperate attempt to evade detection. Legs burning and blood throbbing, he greedily gasped, letting the freezing air fill his lungs and cool his sweaty face. Seeing nobody around, his shoulders hesitatingly relaxed and he risked a sigh of relief. Just as his heart rate began to normalize, he felt a cold puff of air on the back of his neck. Immediately all the fear came rushing back, and for a few seconds, he was paralyzed with terror and disbelief.

"I found you…"

Painfully, agonizingly, apprehensively, the young boy turned around and met the eyes of his pursuer, meeting the maliciously sparkling blue with his own fearful brown…

Then, there was darkness, freezing cold darkness, and a low chuckle that seemed as icy as the air…and Jamie laughed as he wiped the snow off his face. Jack leaped into the air, laughing joyfully as Jamie spat snow out of his mouth. Jamie tried to scowl at his friend, but couldn't help but join in. Jack's laugh was infectious, and matching giggles and snickers rang out from behind several other trees. Jack floated towards the clearing, and all the kids emerged from their hiding spots. Jamie plopped down, Pippa and the twins joining him first. Soon, Jack was floating in front of the entire group of the Burgess children, smiling as the youngsters rambled joyfully. This was what Jack loved about his job; being able to bring joy to others. This is what Jack was born to do, and he felt a comfortable warmth fill his heart as he gazed fondly at his young friends.

His thoughts were interrupted by a glowing band of light that filled the sky and silenced the children. After a quick look, he turned and shot a rueful grin towards his companions. Jamie laughed, and waved him off unworriedly. Jack grinned in response, and gracefully shot into the sky. The children waved energetically, shouting out farewells and urging him to return soon. Jack waved his staff over their heads, and soon fluffy snow began to fall. As the children whooped with joy and began a new snowball fight, Jack turned to the north.

"Okay, Wind. Let's go!"

* * *

Chapter 1: Pitch's Plot

Jack smiled as the wind caressed his face and hugged his form. He shared a special bond with the wind; the four breezes had been his sole companions for hundreds of years. As Jack approached North's workshop, he silently asked the wind if it wished to accompany him inside. In response, the large front doors blew open, and Jack's laugh echoed as he zoomed through the entranceway. Waving cheerfully to Phil, Jack soared through the bustling workplace towards the central hub.

* * *

"Ah, friends, you received my message! Come up to sit with me, is good to see you!" North's booming voice was as jolly as ever, making Tooth and Sandy smile automatically. The two guardians floated up towards the balcony, nodding their greetings at North and Bunny. Tooth absently stroked her helper's feathers as Baby Tooth looked around eagerly from her spot on Tooth's shoulder and chirped. Pouring hot chocolate from the seemingly bottomless thermos North always kept on the center table, Tooth sat in midair and looked around, echoing her little companion's question.

"Where's Jack?"

"On way, I hope." North shrugged blithely. "The boy does things in own time, what can I say?"

"Fair dinkum, mate. Frostbite ain't the sort of bloke to drop everything and hurry here, that little figjam. I'm sure he'll come stumbling in any minute now, just as lame-brained as ever…" Just as Bunny finished speaking, they heard the doors slam open. They hurried to look over the balcony, as Bunny raised his eyebrows meaningfully. However, his smug expression faded away as he followed their staring eyes to look down at the white-haired immortal.

Jack's arms were lifted, supported by the wind that wrapped around him. His hair was tossed about by the breeze and his striking blue eyes were covered by his white lashes as he enjoyed the zephyr's embrace. The wind blew through the front pocket of the young man's hoodie, and Jack sighed, a lilting, affectionate sound, as he lowered his hand to his torso. A gentle breeze whistled through his fingers, and Jack smiled softly as he "stroked" the air. Murmuring quiet thanks, Jack felt the wind gain strength and purpose. With unflinching trust, Jack relaxed in midair. He gracefully floated upwards, looking like an angel ascending into the heavens.

His fellow guardians had never seen their friend look so subdued, and they watched quietly as Jack's bare feet silently landed on the balcony rail. The last time Jack had been so serious, they had thought that Sandy had died. Hoping that everything was alright, they watched as Jack opened his eyes. With an affectionate nostalgic expression, Jack dispelled the winds. Leaping off the railing, Jack perched on top of his staff and shook his head. With the familiar lopsided grin that they were accustomed to, Jack laughed a little and the spell was broken.

"Yo!"

His friends glanced at each other, relieved to see the normal immature Jack.

Baby Tooth was the first to respond, eager to be reunited with her idol. She flew forward, chirping joyfully, as she nuzzled into the collar of the blue hoodie. Jack laughed, stroking the jewel-colored feathers as he wandered over to join his fellow guardians near the center of the room.

"Good to see you too, BT, but it's only been a few weeks…"

"Ahem." North cleared his throat and shook his head before grinning at the newest Guardian. That was all the warning Jack got before he had been clapped heavily on the shoulder by one huge heavy hand.

"Is good to see you, Jack!" North boomed, beaming at the slender teen, who stumbled a bit, unprepared for the strong clout that North was so fond of. Jack returned the sentiment, and then turned to the others.

Sandy waved energetically, his glowing sand shifting all around him and forming shapes above his head. Jack nodded in response, glad that he finally got Sandy's odd form of language down pat.

"Yeah, that's where I was. Actually, I was having this _killer_ snowball fight when I got the message. Oh, Sophie sends her regards." At this, Jack smirked at the large bunny, twirling his staff absentmindedly. Bunny played with his boomerangs nonchalantly, trying to hide the affectionate expression that he got whenever he remembered the youngest Bennett. He growled softly as Jack laughed.

"Well, 'bout time, mate. We were thinking you weren't ever gonna show."

"Chill out, you overgrown kangaroo. You really do need to lighten up."

"Lighten up. Lighten up? Listen, you wanker, being a guardian is serious business. And for the last time, I'm a bunny. Are you too daft to understand that?"

"What? I'm sorry, I don't speak kangaroo."

"Oh, I wish you had gotten yourself melted already."

"Hey, sorry to disappoint." Jack teased, always happy to argue with Bunnymund. Everyone shook their heads in affectionate annoyance.

Jack slung his staff casually over his shoulder, and looked around. His blue eyes landed on Tooth, and he smiled at her. "Hey Tooth. Good to see you."

Tooth was struck dumb by the brilliance of Jack's killer smile. At the breathtaking sight, several of her helpers sighed and fainted. She responded as soon as she could with an answering smile, blushing lightly.

Jack inhaled softly as the fairy queen smiled at him, directing his attention back to North before he made some foolish expression.

"So what's up, North?" The others quieted, interested in the answer.

"Is difficult to say. Man in Moon tells me to call you all here. Now that you here, we find out together." North turned to the window overhead, directing his next speech to the visible moon.

"So Manny, what did you want to show us?"

A single moonbeam shone through the window, triggering the seal on the floor to open. They ignored this for now, still focused on the moon.

"Why open the seal? What is problem?" North addressed the moon again. However, the moon was not the one to speak next.

"Yes, _Manny_, whatever is the problem? Oh, do tell." Everyone froze at the sound of the familiar silky smooth voice. Their eyes flew to the top of the Globe, and they gasped at the sight of the lone figure lounging there. Without missing a beat, Jack shot a stream of ice towards Pitch. The boogeyman simply disappeared.

Searching for the villain, Tooth gasped loudly as she noticed something devastating. Alerted by the sound, they all turned to see what had distressed their friend. The five guardians stared in disbelief at the pedestal that had risen from the seal, shocked by the absence of the Moon crystal.

"Looking for this?" Pitch reappeared on the balcony rail, tossing the large crystal between his hands. Nobody attacked, afraid to destroy the ancient stone. As Pitch grinned at them, his dark magic crept silently around their feet, immobilizing them.

"The Moon crystal, the secret divination tool of the beloved Guardians," Pitch mused, ignoring the glares from the five protectors. "Without this, the Man in the Moon would be unable to truly contact you. You'd be blinded without it…so…"

With a cruel smirk, Pitch tapped the crystal, spreading his dark magic around the rapidly dimming gem. With a wave of his arm, he conjured his scythe and swung, cracking the crystal into five separate pieces.

"Now, I know I can't completely break the blasted thing," He remarked, brushing invisible dust off of his shoulder. "And I know it would reject my presence and heal itself given enough time. However, what if I were to hide it among the mortals? Soon, the darkness will overtake the crystal and MiM will be neutralized." Pitch suddenly disappeared with an eerie laugh.

"I'd say see you around, but once MiM's power is gone, soon the children will stop believing in you and you'll all disappear. So… farewell, Guardians." The five guardians gasped in horror, frozen as Pitch's magic carried the pieces away.

With one last cackle, Pitch was gone. His magic slowly disappeared and released the guardians from their spots.

"No, no, no!" North bellowed, waving his trusty swords uselessly. Bunny and Sandy exchanged grim looks, while Tooth held back tears.

"How are we going to get all the pieces together?" Tooth murmured, wringing her hands. "We don't even know where Pitch has hidden them. He probably sent them all over the world!"

"Is true!" North shouted, and called for his sleigh to be prepared. "We must leave now. No time to wait."

"We're with you, mate. Let's hurry!"

Jack's chuckle interrupted them. The Guardian of Fun jumped up and walked along the now Pitch-less railing as if it were a tightrope. The other guardians stared at him, torn between outrage and disbelief.

"He sent them to Burgess, that sneaky devil! He knew we would immediately rush all around the world, so he sent them to the last place we would think he'd want to go."

North, Tooth and Sandy faltered, but Bunny just got angry.

"And how would you know that, you piker?"

"The wind, of course, _mate_." Jack replied. "I asked it to track the shards, and that's where they went. I feel it."

"You _feel_ it?" Bunny said in disbelief. North only laughed, patting his belly.

"I believe Jack. I feel he is right…in my belly!"

To their surprise, Jack laughed suddenly and jumped fearlessly off the railing. The wind caught him inches from the ground, and he waved his hand merrily at his startled friends.

"C'mon guys! Let's get good ol' Manny his crystal ball thingy back!"

They looked at each other and followed, shaking their heads. Jack really was a piece of work sometimes… but maybe he wasn't completely hopeless.

* * *

A/N: Here is the first chapter. I've written it kind of hastily, so after editing, don't be surprised if I continue to revamp and add details to this chapter. As always, reviews are my soul food… and my soul is always hungry. Please take a minute to review if you can!


	2. Chapter 2: The Burgess Bunch

A/N: Here is chapter two! I'm not used to writing these things so quickly…it makes me feel accomplished, which is a strange and alien experience. Anyway, I'm glad to hear that people like this so far.

I actually don't think this fic is my best work…it seems rushed. I'm not overly happy with it, but we'll see how it goes. Time for the disclaimer!

Disclaimer: Jack Frost and Sandy, Bunny and Tooth, are all friends with North, and that is the truth. But what is sad, and makes me alone, is the fact that they are not mine to own.

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Chapter 2: The Burgess Bunch

Bunny groaned as he followed his comrades down the long hallway that led to the garage. He hated the sleigh, firmly of the belief that bunnies had no place among the clouds. However, he also knew that they needed to stick together and brainstorm in order to prepare for whatever Pitch had in store. Sucking in a deep breath, Bunnymund climbed aboard, grasping the bench tightly with grim determination.

Sandy and Tooth both sat in front of him, looking enviously unperturbed. Jack perched next to North as the large Russian man shouted last minute orders to some of his yetis.

"I swear, if that wowser tells me to buckle-"

"Buckle up, my friends! Hya!"

"…I hate him." Bunny ground out before shutting his eyes as tightly as he could. Sandy and Jack both raised their arms up ecstatically, enjoying the ride, while Tooth kept a watchful eye on Baby Tooth. Soon, they were out of the cavernous tunnels, and flying through the sky.

Jack stood up on the front of the sleigh, laughing joyfully. He felt the wind pull at his clothes, urging him to play. He smiled and shook his head, promising _later_. As the sled eventually evened out, North turned around to look at his fellow guardians. Face ruddy from the wind, North's shining eyes danced at the sight of the slightly green-tinged rabbit spread-eagled on the bench.

"Now that course is set, is time to talk. The Moon crystal is very strong; this we all know. In order to truly break the crystal's power, all of the pieces must be divided. We must collect all the parts before Pitch's magic taints the crystal forever. Jack, you spoke with the wind. What should we know?"

Jack plopped down precariously on the edge of the sled, but they didn't bother to caution him. Chances were that warning the white-haired spirit against something would only result in even more dangerous antics. Jack studied the clouds thoughtfully, speaking almost unconsciously.

"Well, Pitch was smart to keep all the shards close. Most people would immediately split up to find the separate pieces. If the wind hadn't told me they were all together, I know I would've been flying around the world for days. He also knew that we would never think of looking for him in Burgess. I mean, he _totally _lost it last time he was in Burgess, so why would we suspect he was hiding stuff there? Pretty smart of him, I gotta say." Jack twirled his staff around, thoughtlessly creating snow flurries as they flew over Canada. He continued speaking, reasoning out loud.

"He mentioned something about hiding the pieces with mortals… so chances are that there's something about these "mortals" that's gonna be a pain in the you-know-what to deal with."

"Coming from another pain in the you-know-what, that's pretty funny." Bunny grumbled, finally opening his eyes now that the ride had steadied. Sandy hid a smile at the comment, crafting a question mark over his head. Jack shrugged, suddenly a little embarrassed by all the attention.

"I don't know… I just doubt that he's gonna walk right over to Jamie or Cupcake and say 'here kid, keep this away from the good guys' or whatever. What kind of people would we have issues dealing with?"

The more experienced guardians looked at each other, considering.

"Well… adults, for one." Tooth offered, biting her lip. "Most of them tend to stop believing after a while, meaning that they are always looking for excuses that would explain how magical things happen. Like, Easter eggs must have been hidden by friendly neighbors, or Santa's gifts were just purchases that they forgot they had gotten for their children. This type of thing makes it harder to convince them that we exist, so communication can be pretty limited."

"Hoons, for another. Y'know, those types what consider themselves too cool to believe in "lame" things like the Tooth Fairy or the Sandman." Bunny added, nose twitching in thought.

"Oh, and foreign children sometimes have difficulty seeing us. Their cultures often provide them with a different immortal figure. Like some cultures picture me as a mouse or an elf, so they sometimes can't see me since I don't match their stories." Tooth chimed in, watching as Baby Tooth got comfortable on Jack's shoulder.

Golden sand swirled above Sandy's head, making what looked like a skull. Jack looked confused, until Bunny clarified.

"Those whatchamacallits… Goth punks, that's what they are. Yeah, those pikers only believe in the darker blokes, like Pitch or the Grim Reaper or other similar devils."

"_Deti bednyy_," North murmured suddenly, looking uncharacteristically dejected. "Poor children. They don't believe because they are hardest to reach. Is hard to find them because they move around and have next to nothing. They leave little for us to notice, so they slip past us sometimes."

Jack looked around at his subdued companions, unable to think of anything to say. Bunny had a tight grip on his boomerangs while North and Sandy both looked saddened by the thought of children who were better acquainted with hunger and loneliness than with wonder and hope and dreams. Jack's gaze lingered on Tooth, whose sparkling eyes seemed to hold unspeakable sadness.

Noticing that Jack was watching her, Tooth wiped her eyes hastily and cleared her throat. Sitting up straight and smoothing her feathers, the queen tried to pull herself together. Jack smiled at her, and she had to fight to keep a blush off of her face.

"Ok then." Jack nodded thoughtfully as he stood up. As was his habit, Jack began to pace along the narrow railing of the sled with perfect balance. Bunny groaned, nauseated by the sight of Jack's perpetual motion.

"We should probably look for people like this, then. Pitch would want to split up the Moon crystal between as many people as possible...I'm not sure how many pieces there were, though."

Sandy held up five fingers helpfully, as he illustrated the crystal being divided into five separate sections.

"Five, then. So, chances are that there will be five mortals around Burgess who each have a piece of the stone."

"And they probably won't be able to see us." North added, realizing what Jack was saying. "So, we will have to make them believe in at least one of us."

"And how do you propose we do that, mate?" Bunny asked, gritting his teeth as the sled began to descend. "If they can't see us, how do we convince the blighters to believe in us?"

Jack laughed, standing steadily despite the steep dive the sleigh had begun. "Well, good thing it's a snow day. I know some people who might be willing to lend a hand…"

* * *

"Woah, time out! Time out! Guys, I called Time o-oof!" Jamie fell over backwards, having just gotten smacked in the face with a snowball. As Claude helped Jamie up, Cupcake scowled menacingly and straightened to her full and rather impressive height.

"Oi, the kid said TIME OUT!"

Across the clearing, Monty squeaked. "S-Sorry, I didn't hear him…"

Further conversation was halted as the cause of Jamie's outburst became apparent. With a heavy thud, the sleigh skidded to a stop. Jack floated down, having jumped ship due to his less-than-affectionate feelings towards North's parking skills. The less fortunate Bunny fell ungracefully out of the deathtrap, kissing the snowy ground thankfully.

"Jack!" Jamie shouted, running out from behind his team's makeshift fortress. Jack chuckled as the children all bounded towards him and tackled him to the ground.

"Guys, it's only been like an hour!"

"Don't care, don't care!" sang Sophie, her voice muffled due to the fact that she was currently sandwiched between the twins and Jack. The winter spirit pretended to look bothered, but he was obviously pleased by all the fuss.

"Alright, you little monsters, get offa me, c'mon!" He slipped out from beneath the kids as slick as an ice cube, causing general confusion as the children tried to untangle themselves. Jack laughed as Caleb, blinded due to his beanie being pulled over his eyes, narrowly avoiding kicking his brother in the ribs. Jack quickly scooped up Sophie and dropped her on Bunny's prone body, making the Aussie grunt. Jack moved back to help sort out the older children, preventing what was quickly turning into Armageddon.

North watched the laughing guardian work with the young kids. Even though Jack had only been able to interact with mortals for all of a year, he was already much better at it than any of them. North almost grimaced at the memory of how helpless the guardians had been when Sophie had stumbled onto the Warren last Easter. Even before Jack was "real" (more or less), he had still excelled at handling situations that required actual interactions with children.

By this point, Jack had managed to get the Burgess bunch sorted out. He floated in front of the semi-circle of kids, soothing the irate Pippa who had been at the bottom of the pile and ruffling Monty's blonde hair affectionately. Even Sophie, despite her strong attachment towards Bunnymund, had quickly run over and attached herself to Jack's leg, giggling as he absently created a snow butterfly that flapped around the trees. Soon, the children were relating the story of their "bloody" battle, reporting how many legs, arms and eyeballs had been sacrificed in the midst of war. Bunny, who was fighting a headache after the exhausting flight, winced as the kids steadily gained volume, chattering and arguing in an unintelligible roar until…

"Guys."

Even Bunny was impressed. With a single word, Jack had effortlessly commanded total attention. The kids quickly settled, giving all their attention to the immortal boy in front of them. Jack hated such displays of authority; there was just nothing fun about commanding people to "behave". However, he knew that they needed to get down to business, so with an apologetic look he handed Sophie to Jamie and crossed his legs, hovering only slightly above the ground.

"We need your help."

* * *

A/N: Okay, there is chapter two! I gotta say, I'm impressed with how quickly people responded to this story. I got some feedback pretty quickly, which always "warms my heart and keeps me cozy". (If anyone knows where that quote comes from, I swear I will explode from yay-ness).

However, I noticed that people haven't really been sending in reviews. I had someone tell me that it took him only forty seconds to review…

Do you have forty seconds to spare?

Please?


	3. Chapter 3: Snowy Situation

A/N: Chapter three already! Oh my god, I just watched ROTG for the sixth time in the last three days…and my roommate and I are planning on watching it again tonight… we're not obsessed!

I should be working on my thesis for graduation…but Jack Frost is too distracting! I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter! Please take a moment to read the author's note at the end!

Disclaimer: Dreamworks, may I own ROTG? –loud laughter- I'll take that as a no, then.

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Chapter 3: Snowy Situations

"We need your help."

It was strange, Jack mused, how four simple words could cause so much tension. Immediately, all the children donned looks of apprehension, determination and fear.

"Is it…him?" Cupcake asked, hands clenching into fists. The Guardians looked at Jack uncertainly, wondering how much to tell them. The other children stared at Jack intently; Monty seemed about to faint.

"Yes, but not like last time." Jack knew better than to sugarcoat the situation, but he was quick to shoot them a reassuring grin. North came up behind Jack, looking resilient and capable.

"Do not worry, children. Pitch has not threatened any of you; he has learned his lesson." The large Russian man smiled fondly as the small children puffed up their chests proudly.

"Wait…" Jamie frowned, thinking. "If he's not after kids, then that means he's going after…"

"Us." Jack supplied, looking inappropriately unconcerned. "No big."

"No big, no big!" Sophie sang, unable to maintain a somber attitude for very long. She stood up and began hopping around like a bunny, laughing at her own footprints. Bunny would have smiled at the sight if he wasn't too busy glaring at Jack. The winter spirit met his gaze and shook his head minutely, signaling that he would explain later.

"So, what do you need us to do?" Jamie asked, slightly confused. Jack turned back to face the kids, looking at their curious faces.

"Remember I told you guys about the Man in the Moon?" Jack began to explain how "Manny" was the one who alerted the Guardians whenever there was an issue, helping to ensure that the children were protected and the Guardians were believed in by communicating through the Moon crystal.

"So, without the Moon crystal, the Man in the Moon can't send you guys off to save kids?"

"Right. We can't monitor the _whole_ world, you know. Manny helps us out with that. And there's the issue." Jack replied, looking at the children. "Pitch broke up the crystal and poisoned it with his dark magic. If we don't get all five pieces together soon, we won't be able to put it back together before the darkness completely ruins it."

"We probably can't do it alone." Tooth added, flying behind Jack and resting her hand on his shoulder. "Pitch may have given the crystal sections to people who won't be able to see us so easily. We might need some help."

There was silence for a moment as the immortals all waited to hear the children's answer. Suddenly, Jamie smiled.

"I'm in."

"Me too."

"Let's kick his butt."

"Kick, kick, kick!"

Jack laughed, twirling his staff as he stood up. "Thanks guys! So, here's the deal. You guys hurry home and eat lunch so your parents don't get suspicious. Then, come back here and we'll begin our search. We have the whole afternoon to look for the crystal, but I'll whip up a few flurries just in case we need a few more snow days." Jack's icy blue eyes sparkled mischievously, making the children giggle. They quickly agreed to the plan and scattered, promising to be back within the hour. Sandy and Tooth waved them off cheerfully, but the moment the kids were out of hearing, Bunny whirled on Jack.

"No big? Listen, frostbite, I get that you don't like being serious, but this is a big deal. Our very _existence_ depends on this mission and you're just writin' it off as nothing…"

"Bunny, I know." Jack sighed, and suddenly he seemed almost as old and wizened as his years would suggest. "They're kids, though. They've already lived through one Pitch attack, and it was hard enough. If we tell them just how bad the situation is, what will that accomplish? It'll just scare them, and I want to protect them from danger as much as possible. If they don't think it's a big deal, then they'll leave when we tell them to leave. Otherwise, they might try to protect us, and it probably won't work out as well as it did last time."

Bunny faltered, realizing that he was right. He nodded once, recognizing that Jack had gone with the best course of action.

"Now about that snow..." Jack smiled, looking as puckish as ever. He stretched his long arms, hearing a satisfying crack as he prepared to take to the sky. Saluting his friends playfully, Jack felt the wind gathering around him. He raced up to the sky, swinging his staff and creating beautiful swirling lines of snow that gently floated through the air. As the others watched from the trees, loud cheers and cries sounded out as the flurries were noticed by a group of teenagers who were walking through the park.

"Oh my god, no school tomorrow!"

"Sweet!"

"Dude, snowball fight!"

"No fair, I wasn't ready! Take this!"

"Eek! That's _cold_!"

Tooth covered her mouth, trying to stifle a giggle as a teenaged girl squealed loudly and jumped around trying to get snow out of her jacket. The boy who had thrown the snowball laughed, not noticing the dangerous gleam that began to twinkle in the girl's eyes. His open mouth was abruptly filled with snow, and suddenly the high school students were playing just as freely as the elementary kids, whooping and hooting as they stumbled around in the snow.

Bunny ruefully smiled, remembering back when he had first criticized Jack's apparent inability to bring joy to children. An echoing laugh rang through the trees, and they watched as a snowball suddenly pegged one of the students in the back. Then Jack was back, lounging on a branch above their heads. He chuckled as he watched the mayhem unfold, one leg swinging lazily.

"Was this really necessary?" Tooth asked, trying to look disapproving. Jack nodded demurely at her, though his eyes sparkled mischievously. Sandy laughed silently, occasionally throwing a snowball to instigate further retaliation while North coughed to cover up his guffaws.

"That was fun." Jack declared, looking proudly at the chaotic situation. He hung his staff from the tree limb and swung backwards out of the tree, flipping in midair so he could land on his feet. He kicked the tree expertly, catching his staff as it fell from the branch.

"Anyway, that should give us at least another day to look for the crystal. I can always whip something up later tonight to make sure."

"Good thinking, Jack. But now, we plan. How should we look for crystal?"

They all pondered this, offering suggestions that ranged from splitting up (too dangerous) to asking the kids to spy (too risky). Eventually, Sandy raised his hand, using his sand to make images of little fairies.

"Good idea, Sandy!" Tooth whistled sharply and about a dozen little fairies zoomed over to her.

"Alright girls, listen up." Tooth began to describe what she wanted her helpers to look for, and soon the little feathered creatures flew off to scout out the area.

"Now, let's see…" Jack began to pace, trying to remember if there was anything they forgot to deal with. "Claude and Caleb have to go to the dentist tomorrow afternoon, Monty has piano lessons at four, and Sophie goes to daycare from two until six every day. So, we'll just have to work around that."

"How do you _know_ that?" Tooth asked, amazed.

"Simple," Bunny snorted. "Frostbite spends all his time goofing off with the little ankle-biters instead of handling serious business like the rest of us."

"That's not true!" Jack protested mildly. "I could do that for anyone young enough to be a potential believer in Burgess. Not just the kids."

"Oh really?" Bunny asked. "What about the sheila in the green jacket?"

"That's Missy. She's in the art club at Thaddeus High School, and every Wednesday she stays after school to work on her oil paintings. She likes to paint the snow."

"What about tall child, there?" North pointed to a gangly youth who had just narrowly dodged a snowball.

"That's Ethan, he's also at Thaddeus. He isn't in any clubs, but he does work at the grocery store. He's saving up to buy some sort of fancy computer. He wants to make movies one day."

Sandy pointed towards a short, subdued girl who was sitting on a bench across the way.

"That's Lily. She's very quiet, but nice. She is homeschooled, but she gets along with the other people in the neighborhood pretty well. She and Missy are best friends. Lily wants to be a writer."

"Mate, how do you know all this?" Bunny wondered, looking between Jack and the mortals. Jack shrugged.

"Nothin' else to do, sometimes. I mean, I couldn't talk to anyone for three hundred years… you get pretty good at observing people with that much practice. I live in Burgess, so I know the people here pretty well. Like Missy usually has paint on her face, or the school bus doesn't stop at Lily's house. Little things like that are pretty universal, so I'm able to figure stuff out about people even if I don't really _know_ them."

Bunny nodded, silently thinking that it was surprising how observant the normally obnoxious troublemaker was. Jack turned back to the teenagers, watching as they broke down into laughter. Slowly, they all stood, brushing snow off their backs, and continued walking through the park. Lily joined them, talking quietly with Missy as the large group passed by the invisible guardians.

A few minutes after the park emptied, their young friends all came racing back. As they plopped down in front of the guardians, they eagerly asked what they were supposed to do next. Before they could answer, one of Tooth's fairies came hurtling towards her queen.

"You found a shard? Where?" The whole group watched in silence as the little pixie squeaked and chirped.

"You say it is with a woman named… Joyce Franklin?"

"Miss Joy?" Sophie looked up at the little fairy, green eyes opened wide. Everyone looked at the little girl, then stared at Jamie, who had covered his face and groaned.

"Who is Joyce Franklin, Jamie?" Jack asked, wondering why the boy suddenly looked so annoyed.

"Joyce Franklin is Sophie's daycare teacher. Good luck getting _her_ to believe in you guys… she's been surrounded by kids for so long that she basically just tunes fairytales out. Sophie's gotten into so many fights about you guys with that lady. She just won't believe."

Everyone looked dismayed at this. Teachers, especially those in daycares, were used to ignoring the fantastical ramblings of young children. It would be difficult to make one of them believe in something that they spent so much time ignoring.

"Well…what if instead of just telling her, we also give her a little show?"

Everyone looked at Jack, who had begun smiling roguishly. Tooth sighed and Bunny groaned, recognizing Jack's troublemaker expression.

"Here's what we do…"

* * *

A/N: Okay, chapter three done! I hope you guys like this chapter; it was hard for me to write. I know this is kind of like a filler chapter, but the real action will start next time, promise!

I didn't really get any reviews for the last chapter… I think the guy who told me it only takes forty seconds to review gave me another one… He has given me eighty seconds of his life, people. That makes my day! Please, _please_, just take a second to review. Otherwise, I won't know if I'm doing something wrong or if there is a mistake. Let me know what you think, okay?

Love, frost and wind,

JA


	4. Chapter 4: Teacher Trouble

A/N: Ok people, I'm back. It's my Spring Break, and I was supposed to be writing my thesis on Victorian Maternity and the Feminine Ideal… but instead, I've been goofing off. I started writing this chapter at around midnight, so excuse the small grammatical mistakes. As always, I will probably be editing and rewriting this chapter several times, so… be lenient.

Also, does everyone understand all of the Aussie slang in the story? If not, let me know and I will include a list of the terms and their definitions next chapter.

I'm not sure if everyone is familiar with the RotBTD (Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons) fandom. I myself am not particularly into this crossover thingy, but I did insert a little taste of this "big four" into the story. Can you find the three flavors?

I also want to thank the lovely people who took a few seconds out of their day to send me a quick review; you guys can't possibly imagine how pleased I am whenever I get even a few words from a reader. Thank you all so much. Please, keep me informed as to how you think the story is going. It really does encourage me to continue and as a black-belt procrastinator, I need all the encouragement I can get.

Disclaimer: I am counting the minutes until stores open on the twelfth so that I can buy RotG. My preorder status does not help the wait. Until I hold the magical disc in my hands, I must suffer. I don't own Jack Frost.

* * *

Chapter Four: Teacher Trouble

Jack's plan was much like the winter spirit himself; rash, daring, impulsive, explosive and audacious. Bunny thought it was absolutely reckless, Sandy and North found it hilarious, Tooth couldn't stop thinking about it and the children loved it. They were all speculating about how this mission would end, each suggestion being more outrageous than the last.

It was half past one in the afternoon, and they were on their way to Sophie's daycare. Mrs. Bennett had asked Jamie to bring Sophie there since the preschool was just a few blocks away from the park where the friends always played; she would never find out why he jumped at the chance so eagerly. The entire group wanted to be there to see Jack's plan in action, so little Sophie was feeling very important indeed as she was personally escorted by the "big kids" and her heroes to school.

Bunny had been giving Sophie a piggyback ride through the park, but he set her down as they approached the exit. Jack noted this with a small amount of regret; he wondered what would have happened if a nonbeliever saw the little girl floating over six feet in the air. How exactly does one explain that the girl was being carried by an invisible enormous talking Australian rabbit?

"-ey! Pay attention, Frostbite, we're here."

Jack looked up at the plain building with scarcely hidden anticipation. Show time!

* * *

She smiled as the students began arriving, greeting the parents and holding the wooden childproof gate open with her hip. A fashion-conscious woman, she always dressed thematically; today's outfit consisted of a light blue dress with a snowflake vest. She had been inspired by the discovery of a brooch in her jewelry box that she didn't remember buying…it must have been a Christmas present from several years ago. The blue stone matched her outfit perfectly, which always gave the woman a little sense of accomplishment.

Miss Joyce Franklin (or Miss Joy, as the children called her) had moved to Burgess eleven years ago from Pittsburg. She was pleasant enough, well-respected and popular with children and adults alike. A patient and considerate woman, Joy Franklin had easily learned how to address children in order to maintain order and harmony for everyone involved. Despite the hint of gray that frosted her dark hair, Miss Joy was an active and capable woman who knew how to have fun.

Miss Joy had been working with preschoolers for over a decade. She knew what they wanted, how they thought, when they needed space and why they cried. As the years passed, Joy had told thousands of fairytales, dried millions of tears and heard hundreds of stories about imaginary friends. While she refused to stifle the imaginations of her children, Miss Joy had developed a talent for diverting the "dreamer" from their little make-believe and redirecting them in a more logical fashion.

When Rita wanted two cookies because her imaginary pet bear cub deserved a snack, Miss Joy offered to give the cub some invisible "fish" instead to prevent any arguments from breaking out. When Troy blamed a big dragon when someone left the sink on in the bathroom, Miss Joy managed to get the boy to admit to the deed by pointing out that dragons wash themselves like a cat rather than with soap and water, and therefore have no need for sinks. Every day, Miss Joy handled the outlandish claims of children with ease, never exactly ruining their fun, but never giving in and accepting their stories.

Then Sophie was enrolled into Miss Joy's daycare class. Sophie believed in all the magical beings in fairytales with all of her heart; the fact that she regularly associated with figures like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny may have had something to do with this. The youngest Bennett shared her brother's intense dedication and devotion to the heroes of childhood in that she never gave up trying to convince nonbelievers no matter how stubborn they were. Miss Joy was confused by Sophie Bennett; most children talked about imaginary things when they needed a scapegoat or wanted friendship or sympathy.

Sophie talked about these figures far beyond the scope of other children. Each one had a distinct personality and background; some of them spoke in heavy and complicated accents while others barely spoke at all. Joy couldn't figure out where Sophie Bennett had learned phrases in Russian or exclamations in Aussie slang. Sophie's preoccupation with these "gardens of children" (she was pretty sure the child meant Guardians, which was another rather complicated concept for a three year old) had stubbornly persisted despite all of her logic and rationalizations, and eventually Miss Joy had decided to allow the child to ramble on about her "friends" as long as it didn't interfere with the class.

So when Sophie Bennett walked into the room that day, Miss Joy didn't ask why she was clutching the air as if holding hands with somebody. She merely smiled and greeted the happy child, dismissing the odd behavior. She did notice the older Bennett (James, she thought) and his friends as they settled down in the lobby to warm up. As they were being quiet and undisruptive, she allowed it and instead closed the little gate that separated the lobby from the schoolroom, walking to her desk at the front.

"Good morning, children."

"Good morning, Miss Joy!" The children chorused, settling down in their seats. This was the daily routine, and they all waited excitedly for Miss Joy to introduce the first activity of the day.

"Did anyone bring something in for Show-and-Tell?"

A dozen hands popped up, and Miss Joy smiled as the kids bounced impatiently in their chairs. Sophie Bennett had started to shout along with the other children, but had suddenly calmed down as if someone had spoken to her. She sat there calmly, her hand stretched up politely as she waited her turn. Impressed by the child's newfound restraint, Miss Joy addressed the little blonde.

"Sophie, do you have something you wish to share with the class?"

"Yeah!" The little girl's green eyes suddenly danced with pleasure and she ran to the front of the room so quickly she almost seemed to fly. A little breeze made the papers on her desk ruffle, and Miss Joy blinked in surprise.

Sophie turned to face the class, still clasping something with her hand. In a proud voice, she introduced her Show-and-Tell subject.

"I bringed my friend Jack Frost! He says some of you might not see him too good, but I think if you try real hard you will! He gots white hair like da snow an' blue eyes like da sky and he is tall, like Miss Joy. And he don't wear shoes, but he has a big shepper's crook! And he's da Prince of Winter!"

Miss Joy was taken aback by how eager the child was. Despite her childish speech, Sophie definitely had an impressive way with words. Even as she spoke, Miss Joy noticed some of the children could suddenly "see" this Jack Frost person that Sophie was apparently holding hands with. As the child continued, more and more kids suddenly "discovered" they could see Jack as well. Soon, almost the entire class was staring to the right of their classmate. Miss Joy noted distantly that the older kids were observing the whole event raptly, leaning with their elbows on the gate.

"And he makes snow and ice and frost and wind and…" Miss Joy noticed in a mixture of amusement and disbelief as Sophie suddenly stopped talking as "Jack" corrected her.

"Sorry, he says he don't make da wind. But it's his friend!"

"Prove it!" Troy demanded, his brown eyes huge as he stared at where "Jack" supposedly was standing. There was silence, and Miss Joy waited for the inevitable argument to break out about how Sophie was telling lies. Instead, the children's eyes all raised in unison as "Jack" apparently began floating. It was actually rather disturbing. Miss Joy could understand the group mentality to reach a certain point where they all pretended to see an imaginary friend, but for all twenty kids to simultaneously pretend to see an invisible boy fly…?

Then there was a brisk draft, as if someone had suddenly slammed a door, and all the kids started cheering as "Jack" began to fly around the room.

This was getting out of control. Miss Joy could almost imagine some white haired figure laughing at her as she tried to figure out what was going on… in fact, there _was_ someone laughing, a joyful boyish sound that reminded her of snowball fights and games of tag…

"What else can 'e do?" Rita asked, playing with a lock of her fiery hair as she snuck a peek at the invisible person. Sophie didn't answer, but suddenly one of the windows fogged up as if someone had blown hot air on it.

Miss Joy stared. That wasn't _fog_…that was _frost_. Beautiful fern frost that spread in gorgeous patterns across the window while an invisible finger drew a picture of a snowflake…

"F-frost?" stammered Miss Joy, reaching for the chair behind her. "Jack Frost?"

And suddenly there he was, floating next to the window carrying a curved staff, blue eyes bright with mischief and laughter, white-haired and barefoot.

Jack Frost, who landed next to Sophie and ruffled the blonde hair affectionately as the children admired the window.

Jack Frost, who looked at her with beautiful blue eyes that were comforting and reassuring as he slowly walked over to her desk.

Jack Frost, who helped her sit down and waved the older Bennett child over.

Jack Frost, who turned back to her as the Bennett siblings answered questions from the other impressed children.

Jack Frost, who smiled softly at her and spoke in a soothing, curious tone that was full of laughter and friendship and kindness.

"My name is Jack Frost. Can you see me?"

* * *

A/N: Ok, I really wanted to stop the chapter here. I feel like this was an absolutely adorable ending, and I liked the cadence of the final bit. However, the crystal part needs to be covered. So…

Take a moment to re-read the last bit, let the rhythm soak in…then continue on! Be happy I decided to continue, lol.

* * *

"I can't believe it…" Miss Joy stared at her desk as Jamie put an animated film on to entertain the children. Jack had retreated to the lobby area so they could talk without disrupting the class, and now Miss Joy forced herself to stand. A small hand slipped into hers, and the teacher smiled shakily at this unexpected source of support.

"I'm not sure what to do, Sophie. What does he want?"

"Why don't we ask him?" Sophie replied, leading the taller woman over. Laughing a little by the matter-of-fact answer, Miss Joy took a steadying breath and made her way over to where the group of older students sat.

"Hello children…and your Highness …?" Miss Joy trailed off, unsure how to address the Prince of Winter in front of her. Jack looked horrified by the title as the children laughed.

"N-no ma'am, I'm just Jack, Jack Frost. Good morning to you as well, Miss Franklin." Jack stuttered, embarrassed. Sophie, still giggling at the thought of a royal title, leapt towards Jack. Apparently unsurprised, Jack scooped up the child and placed her in his lap, covering up his embarrassment by scowling playfully at the laughing children. Miss Joy relaxed a little at this, seeing how trusting the others were of the potentially dangerous spirit and remembering some of the stories that the child had told her of snowball fights and sled runs. Suddenly, Miss Joy remembered some other stories as well, and she drew in a long shuddering breath.

"Sophie, darling…" she ventured, suddenly hesitant to look around. "Are any of your… other friends here too?"

"Uh-huh! They went outside after you saw Jack. They said you might not wants to see them right away. Do you want to? They all really nice! 'Specially Bunny!"

Miss Joy took a deep breath. She was not a particularly delicate woman, and she felt her sense of adventure return once the initial shock wore off.

"Of course, dear. Lead the way."

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me…" Joy laughed as they went outside, slightly startling the children. The Guardians, who were expecting fainting, shock, terror or disbelief stared dumbly as the woman cheerfully held the door open for them and waved them over.

"Come in, dears. No use staying out here in the snow. That's right, just come in. Here we go." Ushering everyone back to the lobby, Miss Joy closed the door to keep out the cold.

"Much better. Now, let me see if I can remember this. You must be Sandy." Joy smiled at the little man, shaking his hand. She turned to the large bearded man, her inner child frantically shouting about candy canes and presents.

"You must be Mr. North," she stated, offering him a handshake and smiling at him. Pleased by her use of his private name, the Russian kissed her hand and let out a quick laugh. Tickled by hearing the famous "ho-ho-ho", it took a second for Joy to notice the next figure.

"Well, Sophie told me that her Bunny friend was tall, but goodness. Pleased to meet you, sir." Bunny smiled at her, offering his paw. Joy shook it, amused by the fact that she was shaking a bunny's hand.

"And that means you must be…"

"Tooth Fairy, Miss Joy," Tooth supplied, shaking the woman's hand. "I remember you; your flossing technique was perfect, even when you were a child! I always-"

"Tooth, let her go!" Jack laughed lightly, gripping Tooth's hand and halting the frantic handshake. Tooth blushed at Jack's cool touch, mumbling a little embarrassed 'oops' as he smiled at her. Joy grinned, unable to contain her amazement.

"This is too incredible." Miss Joy sunk into one of the armchairs, gazing at the…characters? Gods? People?

"Guardians…" She realized, making everyone blink at her in amazement. Sophie merely nodded, giggling. Joy bit her lip, looking at the incredible group of immortals. Remembering her student's stories about bad dreams and scary monsters, Miss Joy was suddenly frantic.

"Why me? Is something wrong? Are the children in danger?"

"Oh, no worries, Sheila." Bunny reassured her, looking towards North.

"Nyet, nyet, my dear. Is nothing for you to worry about." North added, charmed by the teacher's dedication to her students. Joy relaxed, hearing the honesty in their voices and finally realizing the sources of Sophie's sudden knowledge of Aussie slang and Russian.

"The thing is… someone stole something pretty important." Jack spoke up, the others silently electing him spokesperson for the group. "That clip thing on your vest…is there any chance we could get that from you?"

"My brooch?" Miss Joy blinked at the light blue ornament as if seeing it for the first time. She unpinned it immediately, handing it to the white-haired boy without hesitation. He smiled at her, and despite her age, Joy felt her heart skip a beat at the dazzling sight.

"Thank you." He said simply, freezing the metal clip and breaking it off easily. On a whim, he created an everlasting snowflake and fused it to the clasp. Handing it back, he smiled as the teacher attached it to her vest.

"Is that all?" Miss Joy asked, looking at her childhood heroes affectionately. They all nodded, thanking her profusely and getting ready to leave.

"Jack, Jack, Jack!" Sophie suddenly sang, bouncing on her toes. "Can I watch the movie too, huh?"

"Well, 'course you can!" Jack replied, glancing at the others. Bunny nodded, wanting Sophie to stay safe.

"C'mon ya little ankle-biter. I'll bring ya back in."

Miss Joy coughed to hide her laughter at the sight of the six foot tall bunny carrying the little blonde child, fighting the urge to pinch herself. Meeting Jack's concerned gaze, the woman shook her head, reassuring the spirit. He grasped her hand again, still feeling that tingle of joy that he got whenever someone believed in him.

"Thanks for doing what you do." Jack said, gesturing around the classroom. "Sophie loves your class, and I know you keep her grounded. Kids need a little help with reality every once in a while, and you give them that."

"Well, adults need a bit of magic, too." Joy pointed out, smiling. Jack chuckled in response, waving as he turned to go. Miss Joy watched him go, and then suddenly thought of something.

"Hey Jack?"

The pale teen turned around, looking at her curiously.

"Think we could get a white Christmas this year?"

Jack grinned, bowing dramatically and gesturing with his staff.

"Why, Miss Joy! I do believe I can make that happen."

And then he was gone, the door shutting as the children laughed at something on the television. Miss Joy stayed in the chair for a while, unable to stop smiling. The movie eventually ended, and Joy smoothed her skirt as she stood up.

"Now, class. Anyone else bring something for Show-And-Tell?"

* * *

A/N: Whew, done! So, first crystal piece down, four more to go. I haven't started the next chapter, but I'm thinking that it should go a little smoother since I know how I want this thing to go. I hope you all liked it.

According to the order given in the second chapter, hooligans and rebels will be the next obstacle for our friends. I think I will stay in order, so be ready for that!

As always, please review. If you have any suggestions or requests, please let me know and I will try to incorporate as much as I can. Also let me know if you would like a list of Bunny's slang terms and their definitions. I can include that in the next chapter.

I love you all!

JA


	5. Chapter 5: Delinquent Drama

A/N: Hey you guys! Ok, I know that I haven't been keeping up with all of my stories in a timely fashion, and I want to take this moment to apologize.

On the other hand, I did get my copy of Rise of the Guardians, and have been quite happy, thank you very much. I also rediscovered How to Train Your Dragon, which is still one of my all-time favorite movies. Just be glad I didn't start writing a different fic before updating this one, I guess.

Also, there is some skateboard terminology in this chapter…the most important trick mentioned can be found on youtube if you type in "Fakie Caballerial Double kickflip" and watch the six second video. If not, just imagine cool skateboarding stuff. I am a terrible skateboarder… it mostly consists of me standing on a skateboard while other people pull me around. Yes, feel jealous of my awesome boarding skillage. Yeah, pretend I didn't say that.

Also, thanks for your patience and support. I have gotten an amazing number of people following this story, but I haven't really been getting too many reviews. Even if you have already reviewed, please leave me just a little note letting me know how you are feeling about this story and where you would like it to go. Nothing is set in stone, and I would love the help!

Anyway, here is an Easter present for all of you! Hope your Easter is fantabulous (nondenominational or otherwise)!

Disclaimer: It is past the twelfth of March. EVERYONE should own a copy of Rise of the Guardians. Owning a copy does not mean I own the content, however. The only thing I own is the plot.

* * *

Chapter Five: Delinquent Drama

"One down, four to go," Jack mused, passing the piece of crystal to North. The hulking Russian gripped it tightly, eager to get to the sleigh so he could lock it up in the secure storage space underneath the seat. As the group made their way back to the park, the children gathered around Jack, laughing and babbling about his little show back at the daycare.

Jack grinned at the compliments, happy that his little scheme had gone so smoothly. He had secretly been afraid that it wouldn't work; after three centuries of staying invisible, it was safe to say Jack didn't have much experience with public appearances.

Elemental spirits never used their powers for overtly supernatural displays, and despite his desperate longing for believers, Jack Frost had never given in to the temptation of misusing his powers to force others to see him. Jack was deeply connected with the elements of winter; it felt _wrong_ to force the snow and ice to do something unnatural for selfish reasons. The first time he manipulated the snow in an unnatural way had been when he had used his powers in Jamie's room to create the snow bunny that fateful April night. Even though he knew it was his only hope at communicating with the child and the snow had been only too willing to do his bidding, he had still felt a slight twinge of guilt, as if he was almost cheating.

His friends saw him as a carefree and uninhibited troublemaker, and on many levels they were right. Jack was the Guardian of Fun, after all, but he was also the Prince of Winter. This was no secret, but he had never really explained what that title meant to his friends. They never knew the full weight of the power he wielded, the true depth of Jack's relationship to the elements. While the wind was the most defined of all of Jack's companions, his other "powers" possessed a consciousness of their own as well.

The others had no concept of how much talent Jack had. Frost and snow weren't just little clumps of frozen water created by low temperatures and moisture; they were Jack's gifts to the world. Of course, there would still be snow if Jack didn't exist, the same way the moon would still appear without Manny. However, Jack's presence strengthened the season and provided it with something special and unique. The universe wanted snow and ice, _needed_ it as part of the natural order of things. Jack was able to cover the planet with his icy creations so easily and perfectly because he understood this concept; he understood the desires of the world. He could sense when the earth needed a blizzard or when it was time for a river to defrost. Much like the wind, Jack could feel some invisible force pulling at him, asking for an icy bedspread to help it hibernate.

Parts of the world needed sleep even now; Jack could hear _something_ near Ontario asking him to tuck it in and let it recharge underneath a silent immaculate blanket of snow. He waved his staff slightly, sending a burst of cold air towards the region, lessening the summons. It knew that Jack kept his promises and would be there soon, just as the wind had known on the sleigh that Jack would be back to play later.

The others didn't notice this silent exchange; it had all happened within the course of a few seconds. Bunny merely shivered once, muttering something about the stupidity of this 'blasted bloody season' under his breath.

"I thought she was gonna freak out, or something!"

"Nah man, she was totally cool about it…wish _our_ teachers were that chill about stuff."

"Jack, did you notice how big those kids' eyes were when they saw you? I thought they were gonna pop right outta their heads!"

Jack nodded and responded, jumping easily right back into the conversation. As they headed back into the park, the winter spirit pushed Monty lightly towards their street.

"Not you, Monty. It's nearly three and you need to get your music book."

"I don't wanna, can't I skip?" The usually timid blonde boy whined, staring at the Guardian beseechingly. Jack pushed him away, laughing at his attempt to copy Jack's own puppy-dog pout.

"Don't get an 'etude' with me, mister." Jack teased, making Monty laugh. "Go get your stuff."

"Ok, ok, fine…" Monty yielded, waving regretfully as he separated from the group. They all waved back, Jack shaking his head affectionately as the kid headed home.

"Let's get this to yetis." North said, gesturing to his pocket. "Then we plan next step."

* * *

Once the crystal was given to Phil and safely locked away in the sleigh, Tooth was finally able to breathe a little easier. Although it had been fairly easy to get this first piece, it had still been a nerve-wracking experience. Jack was the only one still used to encountering non-believers; the others had been believed in by so many for so long that they had virtually forgotten the hopelessness of being invisible.

Tooth wasn't unfamiliar with being invisible; many cultures didn't have a tooth fairy figure. For example, many places had the tradition of throwing teeth out the window or up to the sky as an offering or prayer. While it did bother her that she was sometimes ignored by children, she was comforted by the fact that their teeth still wound up in her care. Even if they couldn't see her, they still knew that something was out there, watching their teeth. This thought had comforted the fairy many times over the centuries, soothing the pain she felt when a helper returned with both a tooth and an unused coin.

When she had first heard that they needed to talk to an adult, Tooth had despaired. If she was helpless against some children, she was utterly powerless against adults. But Jack, clever, witty Jack, had known what to do. He had not only convinced a nonbeliever; he had convinced an adult.

They were honestly shocked when Miss Joy sank into that chair, eyes wide and face pale. No one had thought Jack would have been able to convince a nonbeliever so quickly; the ease with which Jack had entered the "real" world was completely unexpected. Tooth studied Jack, who was talking to the yetis. The other Guardians flanked her, trying not to be too obvious with their curiosity.

"Didja know Frostbite could do all that? I knew the bloke had talent, but crikey…"

"Nyet, but was impressive."

"So if Jack could do that, why hasn't he managed to get a believer until now?"

"He thinks its cheating." Jamie had overheard their conversation, and approached them. "Jack told me that he hates forcing people to do things. He said that he wanted people to see him on their own, not because they were forced to."

The others suddenly understood. All of them had been tricked or forced to do something they didn't understand, and they had experienced the resulting resentment from such manipulation. Jack may manipulate people for entertainment, but it was harmless in light of the things he was capable of.

"Hey, let's get on with it." Jack waved them over impatiently, obviously itching to get going. "Tooth, have your fairies got any news about another piece?"

Tooth's answer was interrupted by an urgent twitter from Baby Tooth. At the sound, Tooth's pink eyes widened.

"What do you mean you found another already? Why wasn't I told?"

"Tooth?"

"That's no excuse! From now on, all information should be shared immediately, whether I am talking to the others or not…"

"Tooth?"

"Is that clear?"

"Tooth!"

"WHAT...I mean, what?" Tooth whirled around, before instantly deflating at the sight of the winter spirit.

"You found another piece?"

"Yes, I mean the fairies did. They said they saw a piece with some skateboarder who was wandering around in an abandoned lot."

"…by the mall? Some tall guy with green hair?"

"H-how did you know? Who is it?"

"Ryan Bells, age eighteen." Jack mumbled, looking serious. "Tough guy, loner. Magic won't do anything to help us; he's too "cool" for that."

"Want me to get it? I can take 'em." Cupcake offered, eyes glinting. The other Guardians were quick to dissuade her, but Jack had frozen in thought, staring off in the distance.

"Hey, Claude."

"Yeah, Jack?"

"Still have your skateboard?"

* * *

Ryan Bells dropped his cigarette, grinding it thoughtlessly beneath his foot before getting back on his skateboard. He wasn't really all that fond of smoking, but he had started at age thirteen in an attempt to imitate his older brother, Dylan.

He had started doing a lot of things in an attempt to imitate Dylan.

Despite his efforts (piercings, skipping school, gambling and fighting), Ryan never really managed to copy his brother. He had inherited some of his brother's infamy, even without the juvie record, and as such was usually avoided. However, Ryan wasn't violent or sadistic like his older brother; he was just easily bored, impulsive, and rebellious. He was content with lounging on the sidelines, silently observing others. Today had been fairly interesting; he had found a keychain buried in the snow earlier that morning, and had been impressed with the unique charm at the end. After he had pocketed the blue stone, he had seen a bunch of teenagers drenched in snow walking around. The sight reminded him of his own past snow adventures back when Dylan was still at home, and he had skated around for a couple of minutes reminiscing.

So when a ten-year-old kid wearing an oversized jersey walked up to him, Ryan only felt a slight twinge of amusement rather than annoyance.

"Shouldn't you be off playing with Frosty, kid?"

"Already did. Dude has some killer snowball skills, you know. My friends and I were playing against him earlier."

Ryan smirked at the easy answer, slightly disappointed that the short boy hadn't risen to the taunt. He looked down, noticing that the kid was holding a fairly nice skateboard.

"What's yer name, kid?"

"Claude."

"Well, _Claude_," Ryan drawled, perching one foot on his board. "To what do I owe this ever-so-wonderful little visit?"

"I lost a keychain a while ago, pretty cool, blue rock charm at the end. Heard you found it."

"Who, me? Nope, sorry kid. Never seen anything like it before in my life." Ryan felt something tugging at his pocket, and suddenly the keychain fell out onto the pavement between them. Ryan shrugged at Claude, smiling.

"Ohhh, _that_ keychain. Yeah, it actually does seem familiar. But sorry dude, finders keepers and all that."

"But it's _mine_." Claude met his eyes, though Ryan noticed that the kid first looked over the teen's shoulders as if someone was there. Ryan snuck a quick glance, but didn't see anyone.

"How about we make a deal?" Claude offered suddenly, making Ryan stare at him suspiciously.

"What kind of deal?"

"You any good at boarding? Feel like playing PIG with me?" Claude gestured at Ryan's beloved board, and the green-haired teen smirked as he understood.

"A copycat game, then? What do I get when I win?"

"If I win, I get my chain. If you win, you get my skatebo- wait, seriously?!" Ryan started as Claude suddenly broke off mid-challenge. Once again, he checked behind his back, wondering who Claude was talking to. Once again, nobody was there, but Ryan still shivered for some reason. Ignoring the sudden chill, he turned back to the dark skinned preteen in front of him.

"So…?"

"Fine, you can get my skateboard. _If_ you win, of course."

"Of course." Ryan's eyes glinted in anticipation; the kid may be crazy, but he did have a sweet board. "Where should we do this?"

"The park."

* * *

The kid had guts, he had to admit. As they made their way over to the park, Ryan couldn't help but be amused by how fearlessly Claude talked with the intimidating teenager. People knew the Bells siblings and they tended to avoid them. This kid kept up easy conversation, ignoring the disbelieving looks they were receiving from other kids and teens they passed.

When they finally arrived at the little skate area located within the park, Ryan noticed a couple of other little school kids waiting. Ryan hid a laugh, wondering if they had been planning some sort of sneak attack on him. Did they think he wouldn't hit kids?...Well, he wouldn't, but they didn't know that.

But no, they merely wandered over and greeted them as if they were old friends. He also noticed several of them shot a glance at something behind Claude, just like the kid had been doing the entire walk over. It was more than a little suspicious, and Ryan resisted the urge to check his back yet again.

"Okay kid, let's get this over with." He interrupted whatever they were babbling about, and easily dropped down into the skating area. Though it was snowy, the area was helpfully clear of ice and slush. Ignoring this stroke of good fortune, Ryan began rolling idly around; looking at the various rails and ramps. Claude nodded, buckling on his helmet and making his way over to the small vertical ramp.

"You first, kid." Ryan prompted, already a little bored. Claude nodded tightly and took a deep breath, posing over the lip of the ramp. Ryan felt a small breeze blow gently, wrapping around them loosely, and watched as Claude shot a thankful little smile at some blank spot next to him. Before he could ponder this, Claude had dropped into the ramp.

* * *

Claude shot Jack a trusting glance, then dropped down. He felt Jack keeping time beside him, and concentrated. He got up enough speed to perform a short nose-grind, riding the edge of the ramp with the front of his board smoothly before landing back at the top. Ryan shrugged and performed the same move effortlessly, before returning with a crooked grind, sliding along the entire ramp on the frost of his board.

Claude performed them both, then added a 50-50 grind, sliding on both sides of the board equally. He felt Jack place a steadying hand on his back, and Claude grinned as he landed perfectly. Performing three different types of grinds in a row wasn't always the easiest thing to do, a fact proven when Ryan accidently repeated the crooked grind as opposed to finishing with the 50-50.

Ryan shrugged affably, accepting the "P" with good grace. He started the next round, performing a simple Ollie as he tapped the tail of his board. Claude repeated it, then tried to add a crooked grind. He stumbled, earning a letter himself.

Claude scowled, straightening out his helmet. "Time to get serious." He huffed under his breath, dropping back down. He performed a simple nose-grind, which Ryan followed along with another Ollie. Claude copied this, then added a Nollie, tapping the nose of the board in a reversed method of the previous trick. Ryan managed to follow this, but landed awkwardly when he tried to add a Kickflip.

"3.14 to P," Ryan snickered, accepting his 'PI' and getting ready to play seriously. He didn't really care either way, but to lose 3-1 to some little brat wasn't going to fly. He dropped down, performing a nose-grind, repeating it with Claude's addition of a Nollie, then adding a Kickflip. Claude landed awkwardly the same way Ryan had previously, and the score was tied at Pi.

Ryan watched as Claude stood up a little shakily. The kid seemed to be focusing on something, muttering under his breath. Curious, Ryan watched as the boy made his way to the top of the ramp and dropped down... _backwards_. Then Claude was flying as if riding the wind, hovering in the air as he kicked his board into a complete double rotation, landing a perfect fakie 720-degree Kickflip…a _fakie Caballerial Double kickflip._

Ryan was frozen. He had been able to land one of those only a few times in his life, and for this kid to toss one out like that…

But it wasn't just that. The kid had been floating in the air. There was no other word for it. The kid had been _floating_ in the air, while his board spun lazily inches beneath him. Ryan didn't even bother dropping down to copy the move…the whole thing had just gotten too unreal for him. He tossed the keychain at the kid, not noticing the alarmed look that Claude donned as he leapt to catch the long blue stone. He sat down on the edge of the ramp.

The kid flew.

That kid was…like, floating.

What the hell, man?

* * *

Claude sighed in relief as he caught the shard of crystal. The others crowded around him, congratulating him and Jack on the awesome performance. Claude handed the crystal to Jack almost reverently, then caught sight of a flash of green hair.

"Dude, you like, flew."

Ryan didn't seem all that upset that he lost, which was kind of a relief. But he was obviously confused, and Claude felt a little guilty for cheating the way he had. Behind Claude, Jack quickly crafted one of his special snowflakes and aimed it carefully...

* * *

"Remember I told you that Frosty had killer snowball skills?"

Ryan nodded tersely, unsure as to where this was going.

"Turns out, he's also a pretty awesome skateboarder too."

"…Frosty the Snowman. A skateboarder." This was getting ridiculous. But the kid did seem honest, and he couldn't help but remember how easily the kid had talked about Frosty earlier. Maybe the kid just had a wicked imagination.

"Well, it's not really Frosty the Snowman. More like…Jack Frost." Ryan could only stare at the shorter boy as another of the kids jumped into their conversation, brown eyes dancing with mischief.

"But Frosty the Snowman is an awesome idea! We should _totally_ call him Frosty from now o-oof!"

Ryan gaped as a snowball slammed into the brown haired boy's face seemingly from thin air. As the boy let out an indignant shout and returned fire, Ryan could only sink back onto the ramp as the snowball hit it's target…it's invisible target. A stray snowflake landed on his nose, and Ryan blinked in surprise.

Suddenly, there was another teenager towering above the group of kids…a pale looking dude, basically albino, but with big blue eyes. Ryan whistled lowly, bringing attention back to him. Jack Frost, white-haired and all, slowly straightened up and approached the now standing teen.

"Hey dude, nice to meetchya."

"…Hey." Ryan returned a little dumbly, shaking the spirit's hand. "Whoa, you're freezing, dude."

"Yup. Kind of goes with the territory." Jack responded lightly, making the kids behind him laugh. "Sorry about the whole cheating thing, but Claude wouldn't have beaten you otherwise. You've been skating for years, man."

"How'd you know that?" Ryan wondered, looking at Jack suspiciously.

"I live in the park, dude. I know about a lot of stuff that happens around here. Speaking of, it's almost five, and I got to get some of these kids home. No hard feelings?"

"No way man, no way!" Ryan suddenly grinned for the first time in a long while, taking Jack's proffered hand again and pulling him in for a bro hug. The sprite returned the action, grinning in return. Ryan watched as the group of kids wandered away, crowding around Jack like he was some sort of celebrity. After a few minutes of silence, he let out a low chuckle.

"Man, I'm glad I never got as bad as Dylan. This beats juvie any day."

* * *

A/N: Okay, chapter five is over! Oh my god, I started writing this almost two weeks ago, but I just churned out like the last 1500 words in like an hour and a half. Man, that was intense.

I'm going to just do a quick edit, then post this sucker up. Hopefully there won't be too many mistakes, but I'm sure I will still be replacing this chapter a few times over the next couple of hours. Oh well.

Please send me a review. I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter, and any feedback would be beyond appreciated. Please, let me know if you have any ideas. I can always use some inspiration.


	6. Chapter 6: Culture Clash

A/N: Oh my god, guys! I was blown away with how quickly some of you responded to the newest chapter! You have no idea how happy feedback makes me…especially when it is coupled with constructive criticism. This chapter will have elements that I discussed with reviewers such as **Katyuana** and **Pearlsofwisdom**.

Special shout out to **Kagirinai-Eternal**, who drew some amazing fanart for the previous chapter. She deserves two truckloads worth of virtual cookies, chocolates, and glomps. Ack. –dies for the umpteenth billion time-

Another special shout out goes to anonymous reviewer **Maddie**, who turned Jack Frost into the Batman jingle. All I could think of when I got her review was when my brother showed me Dragon Ball Z Abridged and the big green Guru (Super-Kami Guru), sang the song about the little kid who lost his parents. I died a little from happiness.

I died a lot, yesterday.

Anyway, Happy (possibly nondenominational) Easter, everybody! I doubt this will get posted in time for Easter, but I will try my hardest to churn this sucker out!

Further notes: This chapter is filled with Hindi. I do not speak Hindi. I doubt most of you speak Hindi. If you do, I apologize. However, I will provide a translation for you at the end of the chapter, so don't stress out. It shall all become clear. (I wanted to make a joke there, but I couldn't think of one. Sorry.)

Disclaimer: I died just receiving some fanart for this fic. I would not survive owning Rise of the Guardians in it's entirety. So, no, I do not own anything but the plot.

* * *

Chapter 6: Culture Clash

It was starting to get chilly by the time the group arrived back at the sleigh, second crystal piece in hand. The children excitedly related the event to the politely curious yetis, while the Guardians secured the second shard underneath the seat.

"I have bad feeling about this." Bunny shot a quick look at North, who had one hand resting absently on his stomach.

"Really mate, again with yer belly? Seriously, 'ow many times do I hafta explain that indigestion is not a sign of the bleedin' apocalypse?"

"I agree with him." Jack was perched on his staff, blue eyes staring off in thought. Bunny faltered a little, not expecting Jack to side with indigestion.

"Mate, don't get as daft as North, here. What's there to worry about?"

At this point, Sandy waved his hand to attract attention, illustrating two pieces of the crystal followed by a malicious-looking Pitch.

"Well, maybe Pitch just underestimated us. Yeah, it's been easy so far, but that's no reason t'be nervous. Pitch just ain't as good as he used to be."

"Besides, it only makes sense for it to get easier now that we know what we're doing." Tooth added, biting her lip in thought.

"Maybe…" Jack mused, brow furrowed. "But there is something else weird as well. We said there were only five pieces of the crystal, right? Well, so far the two pieces we've found have been small. The crystal is almost as big as Sandy, so why are all the shards this size? And why are these fragments so easy to find? They also look completely normal…where is that evil magic stuff Pitch supposedly infected it with?" Bunny and Tooth paused at this, exchanging glances.

"That's true…wouldn't it make sense that my fairies would find the larger pieces before all of these little ones?"

Sandy chimed in at this point, illustrating several images rapidly. Jack made out what looked like some mini-fairies, a crystal, a moon and a box. By this point, the children had realized that something was going on, and had approached the group. They all stared blankly at the Sandman, completely at a loss. North took pity on them and explained.

"Sandy says that small pieces not get as much dark magic as bigger pieces. Moon power still strong because of this, easy for fairies to find. The big pieces have much nightmare magic, this hides crystal from us. It take longer to find big pieces, and so they difficult to track."

Baby Tooth suddenly flew towards Tooth, chirping. The fairy queen frowned slightly, turning back to the group. "Looks like Sandy was right…Baby Tooth says that they haven't been able to find any other shards since the last one."

"Then is time for us to look!" North burst out, looking pleased. He always preferred going out into the field himself, and had been feeling antsy. Jack was doing an excellent job retrieving the crystal, but now it seemed like the others finally had something they could do to help.

"We'll help too!" The twins chimed in, quickly echoed by the other children. Just at that moment, a brisk wind blew through the trees, making everyone but Jack shiver.

"Mate, can't ya do something 'bout that wind? It's getting ridiculous…Frostbite? Jack?"

At the feel of the wind, Jack had instantly stilled. It was weird to see the energetic spirit so motionless, those piercing blue eyes focused on something visible only to the Winter Prince. The wind gusted again, and Jack looked to the left as quickly as a cobra strike. He cocked his head, apparently listening to something as the wind continued to blow.

"Mate, you all right?" Bunny placed one heavy paw on Jack's shoulders gently, ears straining to hear whatever had demanded Jack's attention. At the feel of the furry hand, Jack seemed to come back. He shook his head, absently touching Bunny's paw comfortingly.

"It's alright, Cottontail. Ontario is just calling me again."

"Ontario? Calling you?" Bunny stared at Jack bemusedly, making the spirit laugh a little before turning around and facing his curious companions.

"Yeah, I get these calls. Places need snow, and the wind tells me when I need to go someplace in particular. It's been pushing me to head over to Ontario all day, but we were busy, so…"

"We've been keeping you from your duties? Why didn't you tell us? I had no idea that you got summons like that also! However did you manage to avoid them for so long? Those things are relentless!" Tooth's voice was high-pitched, distressed by the thought. She immediately started pushing Jack forwards, ignoring his attempts to escape her grip.

"Guys, we need to get this sorted out! It can wait, I'll just do it later tonight when everyone is asleep!" By this point, Bunny joined in, just as obsessed with work as the rest of them.

"And disrupt your own sleep? Not on yer nelly, mate. All of us are gonna need sleep if we want to defeat Pitch."

"Sleep?" Finally, Jack managed to pry Tooth's hands off of his shoulders. He turned to the Guardians in confusion. "I'm not gonna need sleep."

"Of course you will!" North boomed, jumping in. Jack looked completely lost as the three Guardians all urged him to go, ignoring Sandy who was trying to tell them something. Jack eventually met Sandy's eyes and shrugged, not quite sure how to tell the other Guardians about his…situation. Sandy debated jumping in, but paused for a moment. He felt just as strongly about responsibilities as the others, and despite his knowledge about Jack's habits, he still was hesitant to approve procrastination. With a rueful smile, Sandy shooed Jack off, flashing a golden snowflake over his head as he did so.

"Guys, it's really not necessary. But if you insist…it's almost dinner time anyway. Think you guys could drop the kids off and start looking for the crystal without me? I'll be back as quick as I can…"

"Oh, come off it mate." Bunny huffed, folding his arms indignantly. "Of course we can, what do you think we are? You're practically a baby compared to us; don't be so full of it. Off with yeh, go on. Let the adults take it from here."

Jack snickered, taking to the air. Waving to the children, Jack turned to the north and sped away as quickly as he could. In just a few seconds, he was lost to sight, and despite himself, Bunny couldn't help but be a bit impressed at the youngster's speed.

"Do we have to go home? We can still help!" Pippa whined, staring beseechingly at the remaining Guardians. The other children quickly joined in, launching a puppy-dog pout attack that could rival even Jack's. Sandy shook his head in amusement, and volunteered to take them. He had to leave soon as well to perform his own duties, and signaled that he could get started early in order to finish in time to help them look.

As Sandy led the children away, listening indulgently as they babbled and chattered incessantly, the three remaining Guardians debated what to do next. Tooth was still confident that the veritable army of fairies she left at the palace had everything under control, thanking MiM for the millionth time that she had such a capable horde of helpers.

Ultimately, they decided to split up, each taking a different part of the city. Tooth would take to the skies, looking for any sign of crystal shards, while North and Bunny covered the area from the ground. If anyone found anything, they would send a signal to the others and move on from there.

Having reached an agreement, they took off, keeping their eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary. It was time to prove that Jack wasn't the only spirit capable of infiltrating the camp of nonbelievers.

* * *

Jack sighed in relief as he neared Ontario, feeling the internal tug lessen as he answered the summons. He shot straight up into the air and waved his staff in an elegant motion, creating a blanket of soft snow that drifted silently down to cover the ground. He could basically hear the land sigh in relief as the icy element muffled the environment. Sounds became muted under the white flakes and the crisp clean scent of freshly fallen snow filled the air. It was dark by this point, and Jack couldn't help but feel a little like Sandy, coaxing the world to sleep with his magic.

This was a different kind of fun, creating winter like this. Snowball fights and snow flurries were chaotic fun, a loud and rambunctious event that brought the world to life and infused it with joy and laughter. While Jack loved creating blizzards and snow storms, he always had a soft spot for this type of silent snow. When he made this kind of thing happen, Jack felt like he was something more than just a winter spirit…he felt like he was one with the universe. He _became_ the winter, could feel the very earth beneath him, the air around him, the stars above him. It was here that he felt truly immortal; ageless and strong and powerful. It was oddly comforting here, and Jack could feel his mind sharpen. Usually a distracted and impulsive person, Jack relished the occasional opportunity to drop all appearances and simply become one with his season.

He wasn't Jack Frost, or Old Man Winter, or even the Guardian of Fun.

He was Winter…no believers required.

* * *

This was harder than she thought it would be. As Tooth continued to fly through Burgess, she suddenly wondered what would happen if they failed to find and reassemble the crystal. Without the mystical artifact, it would be extremely difficult to communicate with the Man in the Moon, and communication was key in protecting the children, without it…

No, enough of that. Of course they would find the crystal; they were Guardians and they were unbeatable. They would prove that dark magic would always fall to the power of believing. She just had to have faith…

Suddenly, one of her helpers squeaked urgently and pulled at her ear. Turning, Tooth caught sight of a cloud of pastel smoke near the east side of town. Bunny had found something.

Reenergized, Tooth zoomed towards the signal and landed in an unfamiliar backyard. She caught sight of two larger figures standing near the house peering through a double-paneled sliding glass door, and hurried over. Her greeting smile died on her lips at the expression on their faces.

"We may have little problem." North gestured inside, and Tooth saw a familiar sight.

"Is that…a Mandiram altar? The third crystal piece is being held by a Hindu?"

"Da." North answered, looking frustrated. Of course, the crystal would be with a person from a culture that didn't have Christmas or Easter, or hid teeth under their pillow. Pitch was wise to leave the crystal piece with someone from the Indian culture…despite Tooth's Indian heritage, she didn't exactly exist as the Tooth Fairy within Hindi folklore.

"Maiṁ usē kabhī māpha nahīṁ karēgā." (1)Tooth murmured in Hindustani, peering into the small room where the shrine was set up. North and Bunny exchanged glances, glad that Pitch was the one Tooth was angry with.

"Look!" Tooth whispered, pointing towards the small table. Of course, the crystal would be in plain sight so they couldn't just take it. There, hidden among the various offerings and decorations in a position of honor, was a large pyramidal crystal, about the size of a football. It was much darker than the others, a deep navy color that was completely unlike the light glowing blue of the usual crystal. Even as they watched, it seemed to darken ever so slightly.

"No time to waste, boys. We have to get that crystal."

* * *

Sandy flew towards Burgess as soon as he finished setting up his dream sand, filling the air with his golden magic before "programming" it to follow it's usual pattern. He scanned the ground anxiously, unsure where his friends could be. As he hovered in the air, his golden eyes caught sight of a flash of teal and purple. Following the mini-fairy, Sandy landed just in time to witness North leaping towards a seated young man with a dramatic bellow, only to fly straight through him and land face-first on the floor. Bunny was sulking in the corner, fingers twitching over his boomerangs as he obviously struggled not to attack the mortal causing all of their problems.

"Ah, Sandy!" Tooth flitted towards him as soon as his feet touched the floor. "We need your help! We can't get his attention…I know I can convince him to give us the crystal, but first he needs to believe that there are Spirits in the air. Make him see us!"

Sandy stared at the normally friendly fairy as she crossed her arms huffily and stared at him. Obviously she had reached her limit, and like Bunny, had become almost childish in her frustration. He looked around the room, watching as North pulled an elf out of his pocket and attempted to whack the tanned man over the head with it.

That was just…no.

Sandy sighed, wishing Jack could hurry it up. Unlike the other immortals, Jack's magic relied on things that existed in the mortal plane; unlike Bunny's eggs or North's ice sculptures, snow was visible even without Jack's magical influence. North tossed Dingle (they were _all_ named Dingle) to the side, ignoring the elf's obvious nausea, and stomped over to join them, sitting huffily next to Aster.

"This is no fair. Sandy, do something."

Sandy gazed around at his moody and sulking friends, feeling like Miss Joy dealing with her preschoolers. He sighed and floated out the window, ignoring their questions and demands. He raised himself high in the air and crafted a huge floating "X" over the house. Settling down on his cloud, Sandy patiently waited for his wintery friend to return from his duties.

* * *

"What happened to _you_?"

Three pairs of eyes flew towards the window, where Jack and Sandy had just floated through. Jack laughed as he took in the sight of his frustrated and frazzled friends. Sandy snickered silently, signaling various symbols above his head.

"Hey, shut it Frostbite. Not all of us can just freeze the world, you know."

"Whatever happened to me 'letting the adults' handle this?"

"Oh, bugger off." Aster huffed, slumping down again. Jack finally took in his surroundings, noticing the décor.

"Oh, this shouldn't be too hard."

"What do you mean?" Tooth nearly shouted, trying not to stomp her foot. "He's a Hindu! They don't exactly have a lot of our iconography, you know!"

Jack merely pointed towards the altar, one eyebrow curving up in amusement. The other Guardians followed his finger to see a short previously unnoticed statue behind the crystal.

"It's a shrine to Himavat, God of Snow."

"…O'course it is." Bunny grumbled irately.

* * *

Josha Dahr was seventeen when his family moved to America, and despite living in Burgess for nearly a decade, he was still constantly amazed by what America had to offer. His parents, while extremely progressive and learned, still maintained several of their culture's superstitions, and he had followed their example to a certain extent. Coming from an arid dry village, the snow-covered landscape of Burgess seemed like a mystical fairyland. Josha loved the snow, loved the pure white element that fell down from the heavens like magic. He especially loved nights like this, when the white flakes drifted down gently and the whole world seemed silent and still, spending his night sitting quietly on his favorite couch, watching the snow fall in the backyard.

While not as superstitious as his parents, Josha couldn't help but feel as if there was something different about tonight. After he had taken the trash out, he could've sworn he felt _something_ in the room with him. It wasn't intimidating or oppressive, but it was constant and unwavering and he couldn't help but glance around the room every couple of minutes, although he knew he was alone.

It was during one of these room checks that Josha finally noticed something unusual. Earlier that day, he had received a present from his father. Knowing that his son was interested in Himavat, the deified personification of ice, snow, and the Himalayas, Vikram Dahr often sent Josha trinkets or ornaments that reminded him of the wintery immortal. The latest gift had been a particularly impressive replica of a Himalayan mountain; Josha personally thought it was meant to be Manaslu.

It was fascinating to look at, not only for its size and beauty, but also because Josha had never seen anything quite like it. It seemed almost like it was made of quartz, but he had never seen quartz that changed color quite like this. At first it had seemed to match the light blue of a clear sky, but now it was obviously closer to the deep color of late evening.

He thought it may have had something to do with the way the light in the room changed over the course of the day, and as he glanced around the room looking for something that would explain the weird sensation he felt, his gaze fell on the crystal.

The crystal was a different color again, but now he saw it had nothing to do with the light. As he watched, the crystal began to change colors, starting at the tip and slowly trickling down. He sat up suddenly, staring as the temperature seemed to drop a good ten degrees. Was it some kind of lava lamp? That would explain why it changed colors, but he hadn't plugged anything in. It could have a battery somewhere.

But no, it wasn't like a lava lamp. This color change wasn't happening within the crystal, but rather outside of the it. It was being coated in something, something that sparkled and shone even in the dim room. He could even hear something, a faint crisp sound that resembled footsteps on dry leaves. He knew that sound.

"Yaha barpha hai?" (2)

* * *

"It worked!" Jack whispered excitedly, flashing a grin to the others. Tooth grinned back, feathers fluffing in excitement. North and Sandy shared looks of pride, while Bunny gave him a small smile, trying not to look too impressed. Jack nodded back proudly then waved Tooth over. He whispered his idea to her, explaining exactly what he wanted her to do…

* * *

Josha watched in amazement as the crystal became completely covered in frost, the icy patterns curling on the smooth surface as if an invisible finger was tracing an intricate design and he was completely entranced with this unexpected display. However, once the little mountain was frosted over, the icy tendrils did not stop. He became slightly apprehensive as the invisible finger seemed to trace it's way down the table and across the floor, leaving little curls of frost on the hardwood floor. He followed the finger's progress to the large glass window, kneeling on the cushion as he turned around. Nothing happened for a moment, but then, as if the finger was replaced by an entire hand, frost began emanating from the center, coating the entire glass panel in a matter of seconds. Then the invisible finger was back, and Josha bit back a cry of shock as a slender invisible finger drew on the frosted glass.

"मैं हिमवान् हूँ." (3 Maiṁ himavān hūm̐.)

"Arē bhagavāna." (4) Josha murmured, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. The finger continued to dance around the door, the elegant script carving effortlessly through the floral frost.

* * *

"Tell him… Yaha mērī krisṭala hai." (5) Jack instructed slowly, pronouncing the words carefully. Tooth obeyed him, effortlessly transcribing the sentence into writing. Josha blinked once she finished, not quite understanding. Suddenly he jolted, and made his way dazedly over to the small table. He picked it up, then stared around the room wildly, unsure what to do with it. Seemingly in response to his unanswered question, the back door slid open. Hesitantly, Josha stumbled outside. The wind seemed to blow gently around his feet, blowing the soft snow around until a small circle of porch was clear.

He knelt down reverently, ignoring the icy dampness on his knees. Placing the model in the center of the circle, Josha realized he was whispering an old prayer. He closed his eyes, willing himself to accept what was happening. As the prayer came to a close, he thought he felt a hand pat the top of his head, as if someone was standing behind him. Turning around, he watched as the door opened a little wider, obviously suggesting he return inside. He did so, finally realizing how cold the air was.

As he walked in, Josha stared at his little altar. Before his eyes, an exact replica of the model mountain he had just left outside began to form. However, unlike the strange crystalline material from before, this mountain looked as clear and flawless as the purest ice. Walking forward, Josha hesitantly touched it with one finger. It was as cold as ice, but his finger came away completely dry…an everlasting ice sculpture. Behind him, he heard the squeak of a finger writing on glass. Before he could turn around, the door opened and closed again, and Josha knew it was gone. He looked behind him, and there, written on the door, was a single word.

"शुक्रिया." "Śukriyā." (6)

* * *

"We did it!" Jack whooped as soon as the door closed, flying towards the third crystal piece. He picked it up but almost dropped it as Tooth tackled him from behind.

"I can't believe that worked! That was amazing!" She cried, throwing her arms around him. She grinned at him, for once not blinded by his answering smile. She released him as the other Guardians approached, looking just as excited as they were.

"Myaskovsky, you two were fantastic! Was very impressive, both of you. Jack, I did not know you spoke Hindi."

"Can't write it though," Jack grumbled, looking a little disgruntled. "Chinese was hard enough."

Tooth nodded sympathetically while the others merely studied the slender teenager.

"So, 'ow many languages do ya speak, Snowflake?" Aster asked, amused by Jack's obvious annoyance with his lack of knowledge. Jack shrugged blithely, slinging his staff across his shoulders.

"I dunno…maybe around seventy? I didn't bother with some languages, since I don't really visit the warmer places, and I can only write about a dozen of them. Spelling is not really my thing." Jack scratched his head, tossing the large crystal over to North. The Russian caught it, laughing.

"Well, it seems it is more your thing than my thing, my friend. You did very well, both of you."

Jack suddenly felt a little shy, shuffling his feet a little as he glanced around the group. North and Tooth were grinning at him while Sandy raised both of his thumbs up. Bunny avoided his eyes for a second before exhaling loudly and throwing one long arm over Jack's shoulders.

"A'ight mate, I admit that was sort of impressive. Good onya, Snowflake."

Jack laughed, whooping gleefully as he flew around in a circle. Bunny shook his head, shouting at the newest Guardian to get his skinny little butt down and act normal. The moment broken, Sandy's attention was drawn once again to the third piece. Jack's frost had begun to melt in North's large hands, and without the icy cover, it was obvious that the crystal was still infected with dark magic. The normally transparent crystal was clouded, a blackish purple rather than light blue.

Sandy studied it, then darted forward suddenly and poked it with one tiny finger. There was a quick flash of golden sand, and Sandy smiled. It was possible.

They just had to find the other two pieces. Hopefully, they would prove to be a little easier to obtain than this one was.

If only he knew…

* * *

A/N: Ack, I finished. Yes, I really did begin writing this on Easter, and yes, this is how long it took me to write this. It is currently 2:45 in the morning exactly, and I am exhausted. I didn't go to bed until 5:30 yesterday morning…where does the time go?

In other news, I think I finally finished my thesis. Just a quick revision, then it is off to the panel to prepare for my defense. Wish me luck!

Thanks to everyone who reviewed this story. You are all amazing people, and you have no idea how much motivation a review gives me. If you have any comments or suggestions, please don't hesitate to tell me!

Translations:

Maiṁ usē kabhī māpha nahīṁ karēgā. I will never forgive him.

Yaha barpha hai? Is that ice?

Maiṁ himavān hūm̐. I am Himavat.

Arē bhagavāna. Oh my god.

Yaha mērī krisṭala hai. That is my crystal.

Śukriyā. Thank you.

I apologize if I completely screwed the Hindi up. Śukriyā for your patience. I love you all!


End file.
